Description:
The tropical fruit from the Tamarind tree, a species that is native to North Africa and Asia. Resembling a vegetable with its large brown pod containing small seeds and a brown pulp. . Tamarind is also known as an Indian Date, Imli, ambilis, amli, tintiri, tintul, titri, teteli, and tamarindo.
How to select:
Can be purchased in East Indian or Asian markets in various forms: syrup, concentrated pulp w/seeds; canned paste, whole pods dried into bricks or ground into powder. It is available in cans as a paste, in jars of concentrated pulp or as whole dried pods.
Use:
The tamarind provides a acidic flavour somewhat like lemon juice, that enhances flavours when used as a seasoning for meat, chutney, curry dishes, and pickled fish. The sweet and sour flavoured pulp is boiled and extracted from the pods to be added to sauces, desserts and preserves. The seeds are removed from the pulp, cooked and then ground into a meal. Tamarind is an important ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauces, and is used as a flavouring in many East Indian and Middle Eastern dishes.
How to store:
Store in a cool dry place in an airtight container.
Health benefits:
Tamarind pulp has a high vitamin C, Vitamin B and calcium content and using it in food has many health benefits. Eating it will improve digestion and relieve gas. Tamarind has many other medicinal uses also: it will soothe a sore throat, act as a mild laxative and can even be used as an effective antiseptic for eye baths.
Tamarind pulp or paste
Tamarind is available as a pressed fibrous slab or as a jam-like bottled concentrate. To make tamarind extract, soak a little of the tamarind slab in warm water. Once it gets mushy, mix it into a paste and pass it through a sieve to get a fine pulp extract of tamarind.
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